Eurostar + couchette sleeper train

Thu, 22/09/2011 - 09:25 -- admin

Introduction

Corail Lunea sleeper train

Taking a Eurostar to Paris and then a couchette sleeper train from Paris to the Alps is quite a good way to get two extra days on the slopes. It's not a direct as taking the direct overnight Eurostar Ski Train (obviously) but it does have some advantages:

1. You can reach more far more resorts this way - because there are more routes.
2. There lots of journey options, and you can travel most days of the week.
3. Breaking the journey in Paris can be fun and interesting.
4. The train doesn't arrive as breathtakingly early as the Eurostar Ski Train.
5. The train has couchette beds (while the Eurostar Ski Train only has reclining seats).

Something should be said about names. We at Snowcarbon now call these trains 'couchette sleeper trains from Paris'. The trains used to be called 'Corail Lunea' - which kind of sounded nice. Then in 2014 SNCF decided to 'rebrand' them as 'Intercités de nuit'. As this name is not very memorable, and few people have even heard of this new name, we just say 'couchette' and 'sleeper' for clarity.

The end of some sleeper train routes

Corail Lunea sleeper train

Sadly, The French Goverment Ministry of Transport, which owns SNCF, has decided to axe routes all over France.
Routes that had trains running every night, will now have zero trains. It's a huge loss for France, travellers and skiers.

Step 2: Change from Paris-Nord to Paris-Austerlitz

So next you want to get from Paris-Nord, where the Eurostar arrives, to Paris-Austerlitz - the station from where the Corail Lunea trains depart, bound for the Alps.

The easiest way to do that is with a pre-booked taxi, where the driver waits for you at the end of the Eurostar platform, holding a placard with your name. But there is also a taxi rank, a 50 metres to the right of the Eurostar platform.

You can take the Metro, but if you have a fair bit of luggage avoid this, as the section from Paris-Nord to Paris-Austerlitz requires going up and down some stairs. When you get to Gare d'Austerlitz, you can have dinner opposite the station, or bring some food onto the Corail Lunea.

Step 4: Transfer to your resort

Eight-seater transfer vehicle

The final step is to get from the train station to the ski resort. These transfers are typically between 15 minutes and 45 minutes, and are far shorter than airport transfers - which can take 1.5 - three hours - or even longer.

It's a good idea pre-book a taxi transfer (although you can also find a taxi driver on the spot too).

There are also buses from train stations to ski resorts, usually timed to coincide with the arrival of the Corail Lunea train.

Eurostar + sleeper train film

Twelve of us travelled to the Portes du Soleil by Eurostar to Paris, and then a sleeper train to the Alps, and made a film of the journey.

We travelled in Standard Class on the Eurostar and Corail, sleeping in a six-berth couchette.

The journey was a lot of fun, a good way for friends to socialise on the way and get to know each other at the start of the holiday.

How to book an 'espace privatif' (private couchette)

Couchette compartment

Couchette compartments contain either six berths (Standard Class) or four berths (First Class). However, if you are 4 or 5 people in Standard Class, or if you are 1, 2 or 3 people in First Class, you can have privacy and book the whole couchette to yourself, simply by paying an 'Espace privatif' supplement.

Not a lot of people know this is possible, and indeed we discovered it from the excellent Mark Smith, founder of rail website The Man in Seat 61.

How to book:
Loco2.com: not bookable on Loco2
Capitainetrain.com: Currently you can only book this for First Class travel, which gives you the option to select a 'First Class compartment'.
Voyages SNCF (online): not bookable online
Voyages SNCF (phone): you can book this on the phone (0844 848 5 848). Be aware that some of their staff may not have heard of this, so you might diplomatically have to ask for a supervisor, in that case.